Lock in Foster for World Cup: Hansen

Former All Blacks coach Sir Steve Hansen has called on New Zealand Rugby to re-sign Ian Foster until the 2023 World Cup.

Foster, who was Hansen’s assistant for eight years before taking over as All Blacks head coach after the 2019 World Cup, is contracted only until the end of this year, a decision Hansen believes is “stupid”.

Hansen’s comments come after Crusaders coach Scott Robertson re-signed with NZR until 2024, with the five-time Super Rugby champion mentor having missed out on the All Blacks job to Foster in 2019.

Robertson’s new contract has an exit clause in 2023, if he does not get the All Blacks job by then, but there could be an opportunity for the 46-year-old to take over as soon as next year, if NZR opt not to re-sign Foster.

However, Hansen believes locking up Foster until the end of the 2023 World Cup is essential for the All Blacks.

“The next thing that needs to happen by the New Zealand Rugby Union is they need to appoint Ian to go right through to the end of the World Cup,” Hansen told D’Arcy Waldegrave on Newstalk ZB.

“They haven’t even appointed him to go to the World Cup yet, which I think is stupid, they need to get it done. It gives stability to the All Blacks and it gives stability to the players and they can get on and start planning for it.

“He’s the man in the hot seat, he’s doing a good job, he’s been through a tremendous lot of stressful situations last year with Covid, he handled it with real class, he’s maintained the Bledisloe and the Tri Nations — yes, South Africa weren’t in it, but that’s not his fault — and they won the trophies they needed to win. They’re starting to build something — I think watching them from afar — quite tidy.

“Get him contracted through to the end of the World Cup, and then whatever happens, happens, and the New Zealand Rugby Union will have to make some decisions, I suppose.”